Episode 180: Blues For Planet Mars

I have always been a fan of space exploration, and as a young kid I even wanted to be an astronaut. But as time went on, and it became clear that I would not be the first man to Mars, I started to let my mind wander toward the stars instead, and soon became extremely interested in music, writing, and art. Now, in honor of the successful Curiosity Rover landing on Mars on the 6th of August, I present an audio essay dedicated to that success, filled with music about Mars, and information about exactly how hard it was to get there from here.

There is no shortage of music about our neighbor in the sky, and it was very easy to quickly fill the playlist with a number of choice songs. But the real backbone of this show are the samples from NASA TV. I was watching the rover landing live with some friends of mine, and their coverage of the event was great. They also made some very informative, and extremely well-produced, short videos that helped put into perspective exactly what the task at hand was. Using those videos and a jumping-off point, I assembled an audio essay that highlights two of the greatest forces in the universe: Science and Rock Music!

So, sit back for a journey into both space and sound. See you in seven!

Loosing Opportunity feels way too symbolic these days, but it reminded me of the tribute to Curiosity I did in 2012, which now feels like our last hope, in some strangely other symbolic way. So here’s a little retrocast about Mars and Curiosity as we mourn the loss of Opportunity.